Jean Bolland
Encyclopedia
Jean Bolland (Julémont, 18 August 1596 – Antwerp, 12 September 1665) was a Jesuit priest and prominent Southern Netherlandish
hagiographer
.
Bolland's main achievement is the compilation of the first five volumes of the Lives of the Saints in Latin
, called the Acta Sanctorum
, a series which was continued by others, who, after his death, formed the Society of Bollandists .
(Belgium), North-East of the city of Liège
. The village of Bolland, after which the family took their name, is nearby. After his studies at the Jesuit colleges of Maastricht and Antwerp, Bolland taught humanities
in Roermond
, Den Bosch, Brussels
and Antwerp. In 1620 Bolland was sent to study theology
at the University of Louvain. Four years later he received Holy Orders
and then became prefect of studies at the Jesuit college of Mechlin.
In 1630 he was called to Antwerp by the superior of the Southern Netherlands
province of the Society of Jesus
to examine papers left by the hagiographer Heribert Rosweyde
who had died shortly before. Bolland made two conditions for taking on the project: that he should be free to modify the plan of Rosweyde as he understood it, and that Rosweyde's materials should be set apart for his exclusive use. The Provincial Superior, Jacques van Straten, accepted the conditions and Bolland was transferred from the college of Mechlin to Antwerp, where he became director of the Latin Congregation, in charge of preparing the Acta Sanctorum for publication.
Bolland began by outlining a more ambitious plan. Rosweyde had confined his quest of original texts to libraries in the Southern Netherlands
and neighbouring regions. Bolland made appeals to collaborators all over Europe. Rosweyde had proposed to publish only the original texts, without commentaries or annotations, but Bolland decided to give all the information he could find for each saint and his cult, to preface each text with a study of its author and its historical value, and to append notes of explanation.
Shortly after arriving in Antwerp, Bolland had already succeeded in putting in good order the documents relating to the saints of January, and had found a publisher, Jan van Meurs. After working in Antwerp for five years, it became apparent that the task was too great for one man. Bolland asked for an assistant and this request was supported by the abbot of Liessies Abbey
, Antoine de Wynghe. In 1635 Godfrey Henschen
was assigned to start work on the February saints, while Bolland gave himself to the printing of the volumes for January. Henschen labored at the publication of the Acta Sanctorum up to the time of his death in 1681.
In 1659 Bolland received assistance from a third Jesuit, Daniel van Papenbroek, who in the end did most of the work for the 18 volumes of the Acta Sanctorum. In 1660-1662 Van Papenbroek and Henschen traveled through Germany, France and Italy, searching for old documents in monasteries and libraries.
Jean Bolland died in Antwerp, aged 69, in 1665.
Southern Netherlands
Southern Netherlands were a part of the Low Countries controlled by Spain , Austria and annexed by France...
hagiographer
Hagiography
Hagiography is the study of saints.From the Greek and , it refers literally to writings on the subject of such holy people, and specifically to the biographies of saints and ecclesiastical leaders. The term hagiology, the study of hagiography, is also current in English, though less common...
.
Bolland's main achievement is the compilation of the first five volumes of the Lives of the Saints in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, called the Acta Sanctorum
Acta Sanctorum
Acta Sanctorum is an encyclopedic text in 68 folio volumes of documents examining the lives of Christian saints, in essence a critical hagiography, which is organised according to each saint's feast day. It begins with two January volumes, published in 1643, and ended with the Propylaeum to...
, a series which was continued by others, who, after his death, formed the Society of Bollandists .
Life and work
Jean Bolland was born in 1596 in the village of Julémont, now part of HerveHerve
Herve is a Walloon municipality of Belgium in Province of Liège. On January 1, 2006 Herve had a total population of 16,772. The total area is 56.84 km² which gives a population density of 295 inhabitants per km²....
(Belgium), North-East of the city of Liège
Liège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
. The village of Bolland, after which the family took their name, is nearby. After his studies at the Jesuit colleges of Maastricht and Antwerp, Bolland taught humanities
Humanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
in Roermond
Roermond
Roermond is a city, a municipality, and a diocese in the southeastern part of the Netherlands.The city of Roermond is a historically important town, on the lower Roer at the east bank of the Meuse river. It received city rights in 1231...
, Den Bosch, Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
and Antwerp. In 1620 Bolland was sent to study theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at the University of Louvain. Four years later he received Holy Orders
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
and then became prefect of studies at the Jesuit college of Mechlin.
In 1630 he was called to Antwerp by the superior of the Southern Netherlands
Southern Netherlands
Southern Netherlands were a part of the Low Countries controlled by Spain , Austria and annexed by France...
province of the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
to examine papers left by the hagiographer Heribert Rosweyde
Heribert Rosweyde
Heribert Rosweyde was a Jesuit hagiographer. His work, quite unfinished, was taken up by Jean Bolland who systematized it, while broadening its perspective. This is the beginning of the association of the Bollandists.-Research:He entered the Society of Jesus in 1588...
who had died shortly before. Bolland made two conditions for taking on the project: that he should be free to modify the plan of Rosweyde as he understood it, and that Rosweyde's materials should be set apart for his exclusive use. The Provincial Superior, Jacques van Straten, accepted the conditions and Bolland was transferred from the college of Mechlin to Antwerp, where he became director of the Latin Congregation, in charge of preparing the Acta Sanctorum for publication.
Bolland began by outlining a more ambitious plan. Rosweyde had confined his quest of original texts to libraries in the Southern Netherlands
Southern Netherlands
Southern Netherlands were a part of the Low Countries controlled by Spain , Austria and annexed by France...
and neighbouring regions. Bolland made appeals to collaborators all over Europe. Rosweyde had proposed to publish only the original texts, without commentaries or annotations, but Bolland decided to give all the information he could find for each saint and his cult, to preface each text with a study of its author and its historical value, and to append notes of explanation.
Shortly after arriving in Antwerp, Bolland had already succeeded in putting in good order the documents relating to the saints of January, and had found a publisher, Jan van Meurs. After working in Antwerp for five years, it became apparent that the task was too great for one man. Bolland asked for an assistant and this request was supported by the abbot of Liessies Abbey
Liessies Abbey
Liessies Abbey was a Benedictine monastery in the village of Liessies, near Avesnes-sur-Helpe, in the Archdiocese of Cambrai and the département of Nord, France.-First foundation:...
, Antoine de Wynghe. In 1635 Godfrey Henschen
Godfrey Henschen
Godfrey Henschen was a Dutch Jesuit hagiographer, one of the first Bollandists.He was born at Venray, Limburg, the son of Henry Henschen, a cloth merchant, and Sibylla Pauwels, he studied the humanities at the Jesuit College of Bois-le-Duc and entered the novitiate at Mechlin, 22 October 1619...
was assigned to start work on the February saints, while Bolland gave himself to the printing of the volumes for January. Henschen labored at the publication of the Acta Sanctorum up to the time of his death in 1681.
In 1659 Bolland received assistance from a third Jesuit, Daniel van Papenbroek, who in the end did most of the work for the 18 volumes of the Acta Sanctorum. In 1660-1662 Van Papenbroek and Henschen traveled through Germany, France and Italy, searching for old documents in monasteries and libraries.
Jean Bolland died in Antwerp, aged 69, in 1665.